Jordan Times
Monday, November 29, 2004
Muslim scholars call for unity
in the face of many challenges
By Mahmoud Al Abed
AMMAN — His Majesty King Abdullah on Sunday inaugurated the International
Preaching and Guidance Conference, in which prominent Muslim scholars from the
four corners of the globe are expected to hammer out a unified modern Islamic
approach to address contemporary issues of concern to the Muslim world.
The event, organised by the Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs, is a
continuation of Jordan's relentless efforts to present the rest of the world
with the true picture of Islam, Minister of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs Ahmad
Hilayel told The Jordan Times.
In his address to the conference, Hilayel first highlighted the timely nature of
the event, which comes in the wake of crucial developments in the Islamic world
and the global arena and at a time when “the world has become a small village
where knowledge, information and the various cultures interact through IT.”
The conference, he said, combines the originality of Islamic thought and the
spirit of religion on the one hand, and modern human knowledge and science on
the other. This combination, coupled with wisdom and refined rhetoric when
addressing other cultures, he argued, will result in an Islamic approach based
on leniency, unity and cooperation, rather than violence and division.
He stressed that “our talk of tolerance and moderation in Islam is based on
foundations of strength rather than weakness and self-respect rather than fear.”
In his address at the meeting, President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom of the Maldives
Republic pointed to the challenges facing the Islamic nation, which, he said, is
undergoing “crucial times at the domestic and international levels.” This
situation necessitates that the conference comes up with guidelines for
preachers in Muslim communities around the world, Gayoom said.
Saudi Minister of Awqaf Saleh Al Shaykh commended Jordan's remarkable efforts to
serve the major causes of the Islamic nation, noting the intensive activities
hosted in Amman to address issues of concern to the Arabs and Muslims.
He called for “reshaping of the mentalities of Muslim preachers and religious
literature in a way that sustains the moderate approach of Islam. Other speakers
at the opening of the three-day gathering included Egyptian Minister of Awqaf
Mahmoud Zaqzouq, in addition to scholars who gave papers addressing some of the
challenges facing the Islamic faith, including extremism, immoderation and
isolationism.
Earlier this month and in the presence of King Abdullah, Chief Islamic Justice
Sheikh Izzeddine Khatib Tamimi delivered the “Amman Message” which sought to
counter the attacks on Islam through spelling out the faith's standing on issues
of concern to the entire world, including terrorism. The Amman Message is both
tolerant and humane, rejecting extremism as a distortion of the true values of
Islam, whilst promoting the faith as one that honours all human beings and
provides common ground among different faiths and peoples.
“His Majesty King Abdullah II has continued this effort with the same
steadfastness since the day he held the flag. Today, His Majesty is determined
to ward off Muslim marginalisation and isolation in the global movement of human
society. His goal is to assert what the world's 1.2 billion Muslims expect
themselves to be full partners in the development of human civilisation, and in
the progress of humanity in our age,” the Message says.